1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to assays and more particular to a cartridge for use with assays.
2. Background of the Invention
A variety of assays have been developed to detect the presence and/or amount of biological or chemical agents in a sample. The desire for assays that can be performed in the field has increased the demand for smaller and more efficient assay equipment. This demand has been met with equipment that employs one or more sensors held within a cartridge. The cartridge can generally be extracted from or inserted into an assay system at the location where the assay is performed.
During an assay, one or more solutions are delivered to the sensors. The storage and preparation of these solutions is a significant obstacles to the implementation of the technologies. An additional obstacle is the difficulty associated with effectively transporting these solutions to the sensor under the proper conditions. For instance, there is often a need to mix the solutions shortly before they are transported to a sensor. As an example, it is often desirable to mix blood and a lysate buffer before transporting them to a sensor or to mix a probe solution and a lysate before delivering them to a sensor. As a result, there is a need for more efficient and effective assay equipment.